Bruins' Krejci not quite ready to return from lower-body injury

While the Boston Bruins are expecting Zdeno Chara to return Thursday, it appears as though they'll have to wait a bit longer on David Krejci.

The injured center took part in the morning skate Thursday, but remained on the ice for more conditioning once those expected to be in the lineup had concluded their drills. Head coach Claude Julien stated afterwards that Krejci is questionable, at best, for Thursday night's game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

"Krejci, nobody’s told me anything yet," Julien stated, according to the club's official website. "So unless anybody tells me something after this morning’s skate, I’m not going to count on him and if they tell me he’s ready to go, then he’ll be in."

On Wednesday, Krejci seemed to be taking a decidedly cautious approach to his eventual return so as to ensure his long-term health.

"This is something I have to deal with, and I guess it’s good that it happened at the beginning of the year instead of April or March," Krejci told reporters. “So hopefully I’ll be a little bit more prepared when I come back, and no setbacks, and I’ll be good to go.

“I feel like once I’m back, and once I get through the first game and I feel good, then no setbacks. I don’t feel like this is an injury that’s going to bother me the whole year … I think when it’s done, it’s done. We can move on.”

Krejci has missed 14 of the team's past 16 games and 19 overall this season with an undisclosed lower-body injury.